History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 13Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 13
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Belleisle does go; starts for Kuttenberg, for Dresden; his beautiful
Budweis project now ready, French reinforcements streaming towards us,
heart high again,--if only Friedrich and the Saxons will co-operate.
Belleisle, the Two Belleisles, with Valori and Company, arrived June
2d at Kuttenberg, at the Schloss of Maleschau;--"spoke little of
Chotusitz," says Stille; "and were none of them at the pains to ride to
the ground." Marechal Belleisle, for the next three days, had otherwise
speech of Friedrich; especially, on June 5th, a remarkable Dialogue.
"Won't your Majesty co-operate?" "Alas, Monseigneur de Belleisle--" How
gladly would we give this last Dialogue of Friedrich's and Belleisle's,
one of the most ticklish conceivable: but there is not anywhere the
least record of it that can be called authentic;--and we learn only that
Friedrich, with considerable distinctness, gave him to know, "clearly"
(say all the Books, except Friedrich's own), that co-operation was
henceforth a thing of the preter-pluperfect tense. "All that I ever
wanted, more than I ever demanded, Austria now offers; can any one blame
me that I close such a business as ours has all along been, on such
terms as these now offered me are?"
It is said, and is likely enough, the Pallandt-Fleury Letter came up; as
probably the MORAVIAN FORAY, and various Broglio passages, would, in
the train of said Letter. To all which, and to the inexorable painful
corollary, Belleisle, in his high lean way, would listen with a
stern grandiose composure. But the rumors add, On coming out into the
Anteroom, dialogue and sentence now done, Monseigneur de Belleisle
tore the peruke from his head; and stamping on it, was heard to say
volcanically, "That cursed parson,--CE MAUDIT CALOTTE [old Fleury],--has
ruined everything!" Perhaps it is not true? If true,--the prompt valets
would quickly replace Monseigneur's wig; chasing his long strides; and
silence, in so dignified a man, would cloak whatever emotions there
were. [Adelung, iii. A, 154; &c. &c. _Guerre de Boheme,_ (silent about
the wig) admits, as all Books do, the perfect clearness;--compare,
however, _OEuvres de Frederic;_ and also Broglio's strange darkness,
twelve days later, and Belleisle now beside him again (_Campagnes des
Trois Marechaux,_ v. 190, 191, of date 17th June);--darkness due perhaps
to the strange humor Broglio was then in?] He rolled off, he and his,
straightway to Dresden, there to invite co-operation in the Budweis
Project; there also in vain.--"CO-operation," M. le Marechal? Alas,
it has already come to operation, if you knew it! Aud your Broglio
is--Better hurry back to Prag, where you will find phenomena!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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